about to happen. tell washington. will lawmakers send americans off the fiscal cliff with a huge tax increase? the president asks middle class people to help make his case for action. triple threat. three big storms, one after the other, about to pound the west coast. and, made in america. do you want to make a difference, creating american jobs? david muir tonight shows us how to do it together for a happy holiday. >> we're in! >> we're in! good evening. right now, millions and millions of americans are lining up to take a chance on a giant dream. a powerball ticket that could be worth more than half a billion dollars. the biggest in its history. the drawing is tonight. and some people have been willing to wait 2 1/2 hours in

the long lines in arizona, while coast to coast, tickets are flying across the counters, 130,000 sold every minute. and that adds up to 7 million tickets sold every hour. so, we asked abc's steve osunsami to make his way into the vault where the lottery balls are kept under lock and key and tell us about all the americans hoping tonight is their night. >> reporter: if this is lottery fever -- >> it only takes one. >> that's the winner. >> the boats and the house and the cars. >> reporter: then millions of americans are trying to catch it. buying lottery tickets like never before. more than 189 million powerball tickets sold in this final rush. >> good luck. >> thanks. >> reporter: late today, the lottery director told us he's pretty sure that when the numbers are dropped this evening, the jackpot will be even higher than that $550 million. and they'll announce it at the drawing. >> this is amazing. incredible. never before happened here.

>> reporter: families crowded mini marts and waited in endless lines, telling us they weren't just buying tickets. they were buying hope and dreams. >> best thing in the world. nobody in my family would have to worry about anything ever again. >> 9:27. >> reporter: we followed les sherman as he joined the multitudes outside this lottery retailer in arizona, just across the border from california and nevada, where powerball tickets aren't sold. he arrived at 9:00 this morning. >> quarter to ten. been in line for 30 minutes. probably have another good 45, 50 minutes. one hour. >> reporter: more than an hour later, les finally buys a ticket. >> definitely going to win. i've already spent the money, so i better win. >> reporter: i'm in the vault where they lock the machines. there's someone listening in on the phone, there's a briefcase, holding powerballs like these. and in just a short while, security will come in and move two of these lottery machines into the studio. at powerball's tallahassee studio, security is tight.

there are seven surveillance cameras and two in the locked vault where the lottery machines are squirreled away. they're determined to avoid any suggestion of a fix, like the 1980 scandal in pennsylvania, where workers substituted weighted balls to rig the game. >> because the integrity of the game is what is utmost important to us. the door to get in here is double locked, sealed and alarmed. >> reporter: employees who touch any of the lottery balls are required to wear gloves. these have been retired, not going to be used tonight and we were still told to wear gloves. >> these balls are not touched by human hands. that's to make sure that no oils or dirt or anything adhere to the balls. >> reporter: with so many tickets sold, lottery officials tell us there's a 75% chance, diane, that there will be a winner tonight. >> all right, thank you so much, steve. and something really surprised us today. did you know that right now, americans have won $800 million but never claimed it? including those second and third place wins, by the way. so, be sure to check all the numbers on your ticket.

you may have only 6 to 12 months to cash in. and now, the big deadline on the fiscal cliff, 34 days left for congress to make a deal, which will prevent taxes from rising on everyone. including the middle class. and all day, americans around the country were sending a message, telling washington to get to work and get a job done. here's abc's senior white house correspondent jake tapper with the story. >> reporter: president obama today continued his public relations push, surrounding himself with supporters who wrote the white house, saying they do not want to see a tax increase on the middle class. it's all part of a move to rachet up pressure on republicans in congress to reach a deal before the nation goes off the so-called fiscal cliff, which would increase taxes for the average family by $2,200. >> that means less money for buying groceries, less money for filling prescriptions, less money for buying diapers. it means a tougher choice between paying the rent and paying tuition. >> reporter: but house

republicans will not relent on their opposition to any plan that would raise taxes on the wealthy. >> you're not going to grow the economy if you raise tax rates on the top two rates. it will hurt small businesses. it will hurt our economy. >> reporter: the latest abc news/"washington post" poll shows the public is with the president on this debate. on this debate. 60% support raising taxes on incomes higher than $250,000. >> it's going to affect their standard of living very little, if at all, and -- the rest of us are being asked to pay for a party that we weren't invited to. >> congress doesn't do anything, then -- i have a feeling that it's really going to be devastating for next year. >> reporter: on other proposals, the poll shows the public is mixed when it comes to increasing revenue by eliminating the mortgage income tax deduction. but they decidedly do not want to see the medicare eligibility age go up from 65 to 67. >> it bothers me when they say it's an entitlement, when we actually paid all these years

when we were working. >> i think it's very difficult for people to reach a compromise, which is unfortunate, because the nation is what suffers. >> reporter: democrats are also reluctant when it comes to reining in entitlement programs, social welfare programs, diane, such as medicare. but president obama today said he expects there will be a framework for a deal in the next couple of weeks and he hopes there will be a deal by christmas. and market analysts said a 100-point bump in the dow today was because of those optimistic comments by the president and similar ones by speaker boehner. diane? >> all right, negotiations under way. thank you so much, jake. and we learned today that two arch rivals are about to sit down for lunch tomorrow. the president has invited governor mitt romney to join him in the private dining room at the white house. in recent weeks, we've only had rare glimpses of governor romney -- pumping gas. there he was. at disneyland. and enjoying thanksgiving in his kitchen. tomorrow, we are told that lunch with the president will not have any press present.

and now, we have startling new details about the fire that killed more than 100 workers trapped inside their factory in bangladesh, making clothes for a lot of american companies. abc's chief investigative correspondent brian ross is back tonight with what the survivors now say really happened. >> reporter: survivors of the factory fire told human rights investigators today they were actually locked in by security gates as the flames spread. managers apparently thought it was a false alarm and did not want employees to leave their sewing machines where they were making goods for the christmas rush in america. >> they were prevented by the factory management to escape from the factory when the workers hear the fire alarm. >> reporter: scores of workers were trapped. and investigators fear the death toll could be far greater than the reported 112 people killed so far. >> the fire department said they had to come in with bolt cutters to cut the locks. some ran to the roof, they tried

to jump off. the windows were all locked, the windows aren't open. they had to smash through the windows. >> reporter: today in bangladesh, officials arrested three factory supervisors who were alleged to be responsible for locking the workers in. >> every single thing about that factory, everything, was illegal. >> reporter: also today, there were new questions about the factory's american customers. in addition to clothing found in the burned-out remains being made for walmart, reporters for the associated press said today they discovered quantities of sweatshirts with labels for disney, the parent company of abc news. like walmart and sears, disney said today that factory was not supposed to be making its clothes. "none of our licensees have been permitted to manufacture disney-branded products in this facility for at least the last 12 months," read a disney statement. one of the big suppliers that uses that factory says tonight, it will help take care of the families of the victims with a payment of about $1,200 per death. the value of a life in bangladesh, diane. >> such an awful tragedy. thank you, brian.

and now, back here at home, we have a note for consumers tonight about a big jump in airline costs, just as americans finalize their holiday plans. it is going to cost you up to 8% more this christmas holiday than last year. and that could jump to as much as 27% more, if you travel during the week leading up to christmas, according to orbitz and kayak. you can still, though, find some deals if you fly late on christmas eve or on christmas day. and out on the west coast tonight, a triple threat of extreme storms expected to bring flooding, winds gusting up to 75 miles per hour. the storms could possibly last for days. and abc's meteorologist ginger zee is here to tell us what to expect. ginger? >> reporter: yes. the next several days is when this really goes down, diane. something called an atmospheric river, this one infamously known as the pineapple express. this one is now hitting the west coast. it's like opening up a fire hose, 375 miles wide. now, the storms.

taking a look at them, there are three, back-to-back-to-back aimed directly at that area from about redding, california, to seattle. one hits now, another tomorrow and then the major flooding rains begin, a third hits on the weekend. what i want you to see in this picture are that all of that warm water around hawaii shoves in and you've got 8 inches to even 12 inches of rain in some places, raising fears of flooding and mudslides. this is what that amount of rain did just last week. and it isn't just torrential rain and mountain snow, but the wind will be remarkable. you can see here, easily they could top 75 miles per hour and blast past 100 miles per hour in some of the mountain passes. diane, what makes this extra remarkable is this atmospheric river different than others we've seen. could be one of the longest of the decade. so that includes all of those risks of damage making it even greater. >> day after day after day, as one storm after another piles in. thank you so much, ginger zee reporting in. and still ahead, right here on "world news," made in america christmas is back.

what you can shop for right now that will help create american jobs. two years ago, the people of bp made a commitment to the gulf. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help those affected and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open, and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. and bp's also committed to america. we support nearly 250,000 jobs and invest more here than anywhere else. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. our commitment has never been stronger. those little things for you, life's about her. but your erectile dysfunction - that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat

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because for our 37 million members, only one word counts. get the facts at earnedasay.org. let's keep medicare... and social security strong for generations to come. prego?! but i've bought ragu for years. [ thinking ] wonder what other questionable choices i've made? i choose date number 2! whooo! [ sigh of relief ] [ male announcer ] choose taste. choose prego. get coricidin hbp. the number one pharmacist recommended cold brand designed for people with high blood pressure. and the only one i use to relieve my cold symptoms without raising my blood pressure. coricidin hbp. and now, we're inviting you to join together with us for the great made in america christmas, helping create american jobs. americans have already spent an average of $423, just last weekend, for the holidays.

and that's half of what we'll spend by christmas. so, what if we all buy something made in america? the captain of the made in america team, david muir, with us now on how each of us can really make a difference. david? >> reporter: that was really something, wasn't it, diane? how much americans have spent on christmas already so far this season. and so, tonight, how little of that money it would take to create an american job. it turns out, if we all found just one gift american made, we could wrap a new job for christmas, too. merry christmas. boarding one of those double decker tour buses, it's christmas in new york. christmas lights are up. the great made in america christmas is back. right here in times square, if you just look off the double decker, you can see all the crowds of people. carrying all those bags. in fact, the average american will spend more than $700 each other christmas when it's all said and done. and at the famous plaza hotel in new york. abc "world news." the doormen, who see more shopping bags pass by than people carrying them. how much inside those bags is american made? >> most of it is made in china. >> reporter: china. abc "world news," good to meet

you. how much do you think is made in america? even lady liberty struggling to answer. she remembers back in the 1960s, 9 out of 10 holiday gifts we bought were made in america. today more than half of what we buy for the holidays is foreign made. we're here in fifth avenue and the famed fao schwartz over my shoulder. even the toy soldier ready with a salute. i'm david muir from abc. >> yeah, i know you. >> reporter: kim hoffman knew us. and knew what we were up to. do you mind if we look and see where it's made? >> oh, i hope it's america. oh! >> reporter: that reaction says it all. the teddy bear made in china. in fact, the newest numbers reveal just how much we as americans spent on toys from china last year at christmas. $2.5 billion. and tonight, one economist reminds us, that's just toys. >> that means we must be spending $10 billion or more during the christmas season on chinese-made goods. and that's probably a low number. >> reporter: but here on new york's famed fifth avenue, we didn't give up. this family came all the way from mexico for made in america.

but nothing in their bags. feliz navidad. and this shopper? >> china. >> reporter: and this young woman, dina cooper from virginia. do you think you have anything in any of these bags? >> no. >> reporter: you don't. so, we told her what economists told us. if we all just bought one thing for 64 bucks, we could create 200,000 jobs. >> okay. >> reporter: you're in? >> i'm in. >> reporter: you guarantee it? >> guarantee. >> reporter: find one thing? >> yes, i will. >> reporter: all right. and tonight, "world news" viewers already on the hunt. >> we're in. >> i'm in. >> we're in. >> we're in! >> are you? >> reporter: this is a seventh grade class in north carolina. >> we're in! >> reporter: this minneapolis factory. >> we're in! >> reporter: everyone looking to wrap new american jobs under that tree this year. all sold out? >> all sold out. >> reporter: at the factories we visited all year long, where viewers are already buying in. >> thank you, "world news"! >> reporter: so, the made in america challenge is on tonight. we want to know your one thing you can find diane and me, both of us on facebook, twitter of course.

our giant list of american ideas, already at abc news daup. diane, this tie i bought, brooks brothers, made in america. this is just the beginning. and the big question is, where are the viewers going to send us this time next week? >> great ideas coming in. i want the hot sauce. >> reporter: put it on the list. >> i want it on the list. >> reporter: and we posted, 400 people reacted in just the last hour before we came on the air tonight. >> keep it coming. >> reporter: off and running. >> $64 and all those jobs. and still ahead here tonight, the most powerful images of 2012. which one do you think should be the best picture of the year? he's going to apply testosterone to his underarm. axiron, the only underarm treatment for low t, can restore testosterone levels back to normal in most men. axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than 18. axiron can transfer to others through direct contact. women, especially those who are or who may become pregnant, and children should avoid contact where axiron is applied as unexpected signs of puberty in children or changes in body hair or increased acne in women may occur.

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talk to your doctor about nexium. and so, what made the number one spot on our "instant index" tonight? it goes to olympic gold medalist missy franklin, a young girl who made a big and generous decision. she won four gold medals swimming in london at the olympics this summer. had an opportunity to go pro, but instead decided to stay and swim with her high school team in colorado. the 17-year-old giving up big endorsement money to finish high school with her friends. and now, to the photos we want to show you. the year's winning pictures chosen by the biggest french wire service. from that fire eater to some headline moments. you remember the "costa concordia," the cruise ship capsized off the coast of italy in january. here, new york city, the morning after hurricane sandy, commuters boarding a ferry. and what about those animal trainers who dressed up like panda bears to lovingly carry a

giant panda toward freedom in the wilds of china? finally, president obama on the campaign trail, hoist into a real bear hug by a pizza shop owner in florida. and, our video tonight has everybody wondering if they were dreaming. let's say you're looking out a window on staten island in new york and you see this. from out of nowhere, a runaway pony, trotting down the street, pursued by a zebra? a stunned store owner grabbed his smartphone so everybody would believe him. it turns out the unlikely pair escaped from a nearby petting zoo. they were caught and returned safely. rubbing their eyes today on staten island. if you see something tomorrow you'd like to show all of your friends, let us know. tweet me your ideas for the "instant index," @dianesawyer. and, coming up, if you bought a lottery ticket with a friend or a co-worker, you have to stay tuned and see what we're going to tell you next. it could change your life.

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and finally tonight, a lot of us are joining with friends or co-workers to buy lottery tickets. so, here are the rules about how to keep your friends, if you win, and also stay out of court. here's abc's linsey davis. >> reporter: carmen ortiz is convinced her waitressing days are over. is this your last day of work today? >> i think so. >> reporter: she's the executor of a high stakes office pool

worth $550 million. almost 30 people all pooling their money and promising to split the spoils evenly. >> i have the money, i have the names. >> reporter: oh, wow. with stakes this high, you'd think there would be some kind of contract. but this handwritten list is it. names and a check mark. seems sufficient, until they actually win. just ask this group of construction workers in new jersey. they had to sue their co-worker americo lopez, after he bought the pool tickets, secretly won a $38 million jackpot and then simply stopped showing up at work. this group of 16 school workers got even luckier, because there was no fallout when they split their winks, leaving them with about $500,000 each. one problem i already foresee? fernando put in $20. everyone else, just $2. >> split it all equal. >> i think we can trust our colleagues, but you know what? people do funny things when millions of dollars are at

stake. >> reporter: so, how to ensure your office pool runs smoothly? always write down terms and list the names of every member of your office pool. make photo copies of the tickets purchased and distribute them to all members of the pool. don't run multiple pools at once. and make a list of people who chose to opt out this time. well, i'm one of those people who typically opts out, i couldn't help but take the plunge in this pool. you going to walk away from your restaurant? >> i'm going to fly away from the restaurant. >> reporter: good luck. linsey davis, abc news, new york. >> good luck, for sure. and we thank you for watching. we're always here at abcnews.com with the very latest. "nightline," of course, later. and i'll see you again tomorrow night. have a great one. good night.

next at 6:00 a blast of wind and rain that is going to get worse than interest this. >> a man accused of sex crimes and performing illegal liposuction comes face-to-face with a says fiz shun assistant he's accused of impersonating. >> crumpelled cars crash into other vehicles and just snarling traffic. >> and 49ers coach explains why he's going with collin cappernick instead of alex smith for quarterback. >> the first of a series of storms blows into the bay area. >> not much damage but don't

let your guard down, just yet. >> good evening. abc 7 news crews have been out in the lems all day, keeping watch on problem spots. we have several reports for you tonight. but first beginning with >> let's check out live doppler 7 hd now, we're in a lull at this hour, but we still have showers that our own raid radar is picking up. around sir francis drake boulevard we're getting light rainfall right now. and there is more coming up. for past 24 hours, here is how much we've picked up. two inches in venato. more than an inch in santa rosa and san rafael, close to that. 3800 in san francisco. east bay, concord, oakland under a quarter inch. down towards south bay, 16/100ths of an inch. when the storm came through, winds picked up, peak wind gusts. los gatos 75 miles per hour. 51 miles per hour at